


Monster Hospital

by SaunterVaguely



Series: As-Yet Untitled Superhero AU [4]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: AU, Cuddling & Snuggling, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Kaiju Newton Geiszler, M/M, kaiju monsters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-05
Updated: 2013-11-09
Packaged: 2017-12-31 14:46:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1032919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaunterVaguely/pseuds/SaunterVaguely
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Newton?" Hermann's voice is a hoarse, shaky croak as he staggers toward the silent shape. "Newton!"<br/>(Newt saves Hermann, but at a cost.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Darling Dear, What Have You Done?

Real quick because it's relevant: Herc's power is healing (both himself and other people), The Kaidanovskys have super strength, and the Weis have super speed. 

 

Hermann cannot help wondering, as he hobbles down the shattered street as fast as his leg will allow, why he ever agrees to do fieldwork. It seems that almost every situation ends the same: with the monster or robot or undead army rampaging around until the others take it down, and him standing on the sidelines, occasionally calling out advice while he tries not to get hit. Of course, every time he brings this up, Newt reminds him of the time he used the gang of hostage-taking bank robbers' own memories against them, or when he sent out a psychic shockwave that brought the self-titled "monster hunters" to their knees. This time, however,  it's some sort of alien species that stays holed up in their ship and sends down pods of slavering, car-sized monsters with claws and fangs that are unaffected by Hermann's mental prodding. Instead, he's seeking out civilians and herding them to the safest places available. Right now he's hurrying toward the terrified cries he heard a moment ago, following the shrill fear-tinged thoughts of someone trapped in a city gone mad.

He catches another pulse of fear, tracks it to the twisted remains of a car and sees two small children huddled underneath it: a girl, probably no older than ten, carrying a toddler Hermann assumes is her brother. Both are crying and dirty, and the girl's leg is bloody- maybe even broken. He feels his own leg throb in sympathy even as he crouches down and holds out a hand. "Come on!" He hopes they understand English, but he sends a reassuring thread of thought toward her just in case. "It's not safe here!" He also hopes that their parents are alive somewhere, maybe in one of the emergency shelters. 

The girl apparently decides he's trustworthy enough, or at least a better option than being eaten by aliens, and comes limping forward to take his hand, shifting her brother to one arm. A nearby crash makes all three of them flinch.

He hears a low snarl and turns over his shoulder, thinking for an instant that perhaps Newt has followed him. But it's not the familiar greenish, winged form he's come to love. This creature is easily the size of a bull elephant, a massive, apelike thing covered in leathery hide rather than scales, and its shoulders bristle with quills, each as long as Hermann is tall. Its flat nostrils flare, and its small eyes narrow as they focus on the three tiny humans. Hermann is frozen in place, unable to run or scream or raise a hand to defend himself or the children even as the beast takes a thunderous step toward them and breaks into a gallop.

One second it's coming at them impossibly fast, bearing down on them like a freight train, and the next second it's tumbling to the side, roaring in fury as it is knocked down by a blue-green blur. Newton is half the creature's size even in his kaiju form, but he bellows and claws and bites as he wraps himself around its head. 

_Hermann protect Hermann no no bad monster bad kill protect no touch my Hermann! Newt-kaiju kill kill kill kill kill bad monster!_

"Newton!" Hermann manages to shout, shaking and gripping his cane as he watches this clash of titans. "Newton, no!" Even as he shouts, the ground shakes and the children cower next to him, the boy sobbing and screaming and the girl gasping in terror. 

_bad bad bad kill kill kill!_

One of the ape-beast's hands, huge and clawed, comes up to grab Newt's right wing, yanking him away and pinning him to the ground. The reptilian creature screeches, enraged, and flaps uselessly with his left, snapping at the ape's arm with his strange, bisected jaw. The ape twists its hold, there's a terrible crunching sound, and suddenly Hermann's mind is filled with _PAIN HURT NO NO NO NO HURT STOP_. He screams, clutching at his head, as their mental link floods with fear and pain, and the children duck behind him.

Newton's throat swells, glowing bright blue, and he hisses as he spews a stream of neon goop at the beast. Hermann's never seen him do that before, but he would guess that the strange substance is some kind of acid. It smokes when it strikes the ape's arm and chest, eating away at the tough skin there.

The ape lets out a roar that sets off every car alarm on the block, and kicks with one leg. Too late, Hermann sees the raptorlike talon on the inside of its foot. He cries out with Newt as the biologist is sliced from hip to throat, and his world reduces down to his own thin voice and the chaotic, frantic tangle of Newton's thoughts.

_hurts hurts hurts oh no not good no can't can't hurts please please stop please no Hermann Hermann_

Thrashing blindly, Newt's tail fumbles up the ape's arm, grasping at one of the long spines. He tugs desperately until it pulls free. Gripping it like a spear in his three-fingered tail hand, twists, and plunges it into the alien ape's eye. 

Gray ichor spills out from the socket, and the beast lets out a scream that rattles windows, then falls back, crashing to the ground. Hermann is folded in on himself around the kids, head hidden under his arms as rubble showers down around them. He lifts his head slowly, ears ringing in the sudden absence of sound, and the cold fingers of panic steal around his heart.

Newt is lying prone in front of the corpse of the ape monster, his right wing sticking out at a terrible, impossible angle, and the street around him is pooled with fluorescent blue blood. 

"Newton?" Hermann's voice is a hoarse, shaky croak as he staggers toward the silent shape. "Newton!"

He stumbles to his knees, ignoring the panicky cries of the children for him to stay away from the monster and the pain that shoots through his hips, and runs searching, tentative hands over Newt's throat, wondering feverishly where his pulse might be. He calls out again and again with his mind, urgently listening for a response. "Newt, please." He fights the break in his words, the tears he can feel rising. 

_Hermann_

The thought is weak, the faintest smell of chalk dust and the feel of tweed against skin, but it's there and he grasps at it. "Yes! Newt, can you hear me?"

_love Hermann_

"I know dearest, I know, and I love you, and I need you to open your eyes!" Hermann's tone wavers between pleading and demanding.

_can't. hurts. Hermann please sorry Hermann_

"Yes you can, damn you!" Hermann's fumbling fingers find the claws of Newt's unbroken wing, grip them tightly. "Open your eyes, you infuriating man!"

Down the street, he can hear approaching voices, senses the distant thoughts of Marshal Pentecost as he ushers the children away then calls for Herc and the medical team. He tunes them out, using his free hand to run his palm down the scaly cheek of his beloved biologist. One green eye slits open, the pupil wide and unfocused. Hermann kisses his forehead in encouragement, chanting, "Yes, Newton, that's it, open your eyes for me, that's it!"

_Hermann_

"Yes!" Hermann is practically shouting now as he clutches the kaiju's head in both hands. "I'm here, Newton!"

_Hermann okay? kids okay?_

"What? Yes, I'm fine, Newton, I'm fine, we're all fine! We're not the ones with our guts thrown about on the street!"

_Newt-kaiju did good?_

"I- of course you did, Newton, you stupid, stupid-"

_Newt's a hero_

"Yes, you are, darling boy, now open your other eyes-"

But instead of opening the other three, Newt closes his one open eye, breathing out slowly, and Hermann screams a wordless, agonized protest even as the medics arrive and pull him away.


	2. And Ignite Your Bones

Your reviews prompted me to update early! Yaaaay

 

~

 

The medics sort of hover over Newt for a moment, uncertain, until Herc pushes past them and places his hands against the roundness of the small kaiju's ribs. He closes his eyes and scrunches up his face in concentration, and Hermann has to hold himself back from lunging forward to demand that he explain every aspect of the process as he works. Everyone is quiet for a long, horrible few minutes while Hansen tries to heal Newton's ruined body. 

At last Herc falls back, gasping and pale, and out of the corner of his eye Hermann sees both Chuck and Stacker take an involuntary step forward. "I can't," Herc pants, wiping sweat from his brow. "His anatomy's too different. I can't do it; I don't know how to. I could kill him just as easily as heal him."

"Fine, then, we'll get him to change back to human and you can heal him then!" Hermann snaps. 

Herc shakes his head. "Not with those injuries. I think it's only the kaiju anatomy that's keepin' him from bleeding out now as it is. If he changes back he'll die before I can fix him."

"Then what do you propose we do?" Hermann all but snarls. "Let him lie here and bleed to death slowly instead?!"

"Of course not!" Mako, bless her soul, steps forward with a determined look as she strips off her jacket and presses it over part of the wound firmly. Immediately, Raleigh follows her, throwing his own jacket onto Newt to help staunch the flow of blood. He looks up impatiently at the medics. 

"Well? We kinda need to get him out of the street! Can we get, like, a crane or something?"

"A chopper," Pentecost says, nodding and reaching for the radio. He grabs his radio and barks an order, then glances over his shoulder at the Kaidanovskys. "I want you two to lift him- carefully- and get him onboard when it gets here." They nod and step forward beside Mako and Raleigh. Stacker places a reassuring hand on Hermann's shoulder as the sound of the helicopter approaches. "Doctor Gottlieb. I promise you, we will do our best."

Hermann can only lay his hand on the crest above Newt's brow, run his palm down his spine. One of the smallest of the tendrils curls ever-so-weakly around his little finger, and he tries not to let a sob escape his throat. 

The Russians heave Newt onto the helicopter as gently as they are able, and it takes off with some difficulty thanks to the weight of the kaiju, heading back to the Shatterdome as quickly as possible. Hermann is beside himself at the thought of having to take a slow, maneuvering car ride back, of Newt being left alone in experimental surgery, but the Wei triplets step up and offer him a ride. They form a sort of cradle with their arms, and he sits in it awkwardly, clutching his cane, while they speed past the jammed streets and buildings. They arrive at the 'dome within minutes rather than hours, and Hermann manages an appropriately grateful goodbye before heading for the medical bay as fast as he can. 

The doctors there are clearly familiar enough with Newt and Hermann to have already laid out scrubs for him when he gets there, and a nurse helps him into them while informing him that "the kaiju- I mean Doctor Geiszler- I mean Doctor Newt?- is in surgery". He leads Hermann down a corridor to what appears to be an improvised emergency room large enough to accommodate such a big, ungainly patient. There are surgeons clustered around Newt, who is laid out across two tables, their hands working in a blur of swabs, needles, forceps, and blood. Hermann does his best to hover in the back, trying to keep out of the way, and every now and then one of them will address him, asking what he knows about Newt's biological makeup, when Newt last ate, whether it looked like the thing that gutted him had venom of some kind. He answers to the best of his ability, fingers anxiously wringing his cane. The heart monitor beeps slowly, over the quiet, drawn-out whoosh of Newt's labored breathing. 

Eventually one of the nurses approaches him and offers him a chair, obviously aware that he won't be content with sitting in the waiting room. He sits, surprised to realize that his legs are shaking but he hasn't noticed the pain. 

He's not sure how he manages to fall asleep like that, rigid-backed in the chair and watching the love of his life undergo hopefully-life-saving surgery, but he blinks and suddenly the room is almost empty, and one of the doctors is gently shaking his shoulder.

"Doctor Gottlieb?" She stands back when she sees his eyes open. "You can sit with him now. We've done all we can at this point given his... current shape. All that's left to do is wait and see if he comes around."

Hermann nods, still exhausted with worry, and stands to approach the table. Newton is curled on his side, wrapped in gauze and tape. His broken wing has been set and tucked against his body. Hermann sighs heavily and traces his fingertips down Newt's snout, feeling the familiar grain of his scales. He sits on one of the nearby stools, listening to the beep of the machines, and waits. 


	3. Sitting, Waiting, Wishing

Short little chapter for now. Thanks for the reviews; they are my motivation!

~

 

About an hour later there's a knock against the wall behind him. He turns to see Tendo, holding two mugs of coffee in one hand and a bagel sandwich in the other. "Hey, man, how you holdin' up?" The tech asks, quiet but friendly as he approaches and offers the sandwich and one of the mugs. 

Hermann accepts them with a grateful nod, even though his stomach is too churned up and knotted to feel hunger. "I'm as well as may be expected. They say he may come around soon."

"That's good." Tendo sips his coffee and looks down at Newt. "The triplets told me about what happened, why he's not changed back yet."

Hermann nods. "Survival instinct, no doubt. Or maybe he's simply too weak. But it's a good thing for now."

Tendo rests one hand against Hermann's arm, comforting. "He's gonna be okay, Doc. He knows you'd kick his ass if he quit early."

That gets a choked laugh, humorless and bleak but there. "Yes, it's very reassuring to know that the fear of my wrath will keep him here."

_Hermann_

"Yes, Newton?" He doesn't quite register the situation for a moment, and then he's frantically shoving the coffee and bagel into Tendo's hands and turning to bend down and look at Newt. "Newton?!"

_Hermann?_

"Yes! I'm right here!" He waves a hand at Tendo and yells at him to fetch the other doctors, never looking away from those hazy green eyes as they blink open. 

_happened?_

"You- you've just come out of surgery."

_hurts_

"Oh, darling, I know it does- they did not give you much of the sedative; they didn't know how you would react." The drug they used was one the Shatterdome chem department had developed when Newt first showed up on their radar, designed specifically in case he got out of control and had to be taken down. Thankfully it's never been needed for that. He strokes Newt's cheek tenderly, pressing a dozen little kisses to his face. " _Mein Schatz, du bist am Leben*_ ," he murmurs, rubbing his own cheek against Newton's.

_Newt hurt bad?_

The mental phrasing is tinged with worry- Hermann usually saves his sweet nothings for when they're in bed. "No, Newton, you- well, yes, but you're going to be just fine. Understand?"

_okay_

"Good." 

_...why still Newt-kaiju? gonna change back_

"No!" Hermann shouts the word and Newton twitches at the loud sound. "I'm sorry, Newton, but you... you cannot change back yet."

_is spine okay?_

"Is...? Yes, your spine is intact and you should be able to move- not yet!- but you mustn't turn back into your human form. You have to stay... like this, until you are healed."

_don't wanna_

Newt's thoughts are fuzzy from the pain and drugs, and now they are colored with confusion and annoyance, making him petulant. 

"Doctor Geiszler if you do not stay in this form you will die, and if you die I will be _so very cross with you_. Do you hear me?" It might be a bit improper to scold a person just coming out of surgery, but Hermann is desperate to get the point across. 

_fiiiiine_

"Thank you."

_but-_

The surgeons come rushing back in, clustering around them, and Newt hisses weakly and flaps his left wing, uncertain and alarmed. Crowds have always made him anxious and the situation is pushing that anxiety into the realm of panic.

"Not so many at once," Hermann warns them, stepping in to rub Newt's forehead until he calms. "He finds too many people stressful. I don't want him injuring himself further trying to get away from you all."

They nod and a few of them shuffle back, allowing the others to carefully examine Newton under Hermann's hawklike gaze. Newt bears it as well as he can, making soft warbling sounds to himself and filling Hermann's head with bleary, disgruntled muttering. At last, the surgeons step back and declare that he seems to be holding steady, and that they feel it safe to move him into a more comfortable location for care and observation. 

"Our room," Hermann says decisively. "It's already modified to accommodate him in this form. I can look after him there, and you can stop in and check up on him."

The surgeons agree with Hermann's recommendation (a wise decision on their part) and wheel the two kaiju-bearing tables down the hall to the pair's apartment.

 

~

*"My darling, you are alive." 


	4. Your Arms Full of Lullabies

They arrange the IV and call in the recently-returned Kaidanovskys to help shift Newt onto the bed. The big scaly biologist fusses and whines at being moved, and Sasha (Hermann thinks it's Sasha? He's never sure which one is which, especially since both answer to either name) _tsks_ and kisses him on the brow. Both Russians cluck over Newt like a pair of hens, helping Hermann pile bedding in around the reptilian creature, then file out with the other doctors. Tendo remains in the doorway, clearing his throat and asking, "Hey, you guys need anything else?"

"No, thank you, I think we're quite-"

_hungry_

"Oh-" Hermann glances back at the swaddled creature, who has been reduced to just a big square head poking out of the mountain of blankets. "Newton, I don't think you're supposed to eat quite so soon after surgery-"

_please?_

"Your stomach was literally outside your body a few hours ago."

_pleeeaase?_

"Oh, for- you may have something to drink for now, and in a bit we'll see about getting you something solid."

_cream soda_

"You absolutely may _not_ have soda right now, Newton, you are a doctor for heaven's sake, you should know better." He turns to look at Tendo, who is watching this one-sided argument with an amused expression. "Perhaps some broth, if the kitchens have any."

"You got it, buddy." The tech spins on his heel and goes jogging out of the room, leaving the two alone. 

Hermann returns to the bed, kneeling on one knee and fiddling with the blankets, tucking a corner under Newt's chin and kissing him lightly. "How are you feeling? Aside from hungry."

_sleepy. Hermann cuddle?_

"Yes, love, of course." Hermann crawls onto the mattress, leaving his cane against the nightstand. He settles against the headboard, lines his lap with cushions, and slides Newt's head onto the pillows so that he can run his fingers up and down the underside of the kaiju's chin. Newt purrs his approval, eyes closing rapturously when Hermann uses his blunt nails to scritch between the crests on his forehead. The connection between them hums with a mix of _tiredwarmsafe_ and _painhurtow_ and _HermannloveHermann_. "Rest now, Newton, I'll wake you when Tendo comes back."

Newt's thoughts slow from a simmering babble to the occasional rising bubble of sensation as he drifts off, his breath deepening, and Hermann hums softly to help lull him to sleep. When the room is quiet, Hermann takes his laptop from the bedside table and makes a few edits to his latest paper, his glasses perched on the end of his nose. He can sense Newt dreaming, feels his legs twitch every now and then. Sometimes Hermann will send an inquisitive thread of thought into Newton's mind, catch glimpses of his dreams. He's caught a number of nightmares this way, managed to wake Newt before they get too bad. Thankfully all he gets this time is the somewhat distant sensation of moss between his toes, and the smell of rotting leaves; Newt must be dreaming of walking in the woods. Hermann smiles and carefully takes his phone from his pocket, snapping a picture of the sleeping kaiju. "Darling boy," he murmurs, kissing Newt's cheek. "Don't you ever frighten me like that again."

Tendo comes back a while later, knowing well enough to walk gingerly as he enters the room with a mug in one hand and a bucket in the other. "Kitchen didn't have any soup thawed, so the Kaidanovskys took over and made up a batch of borsht because, apparently, 'frozen soup is shameful and weak'." He sets the bucket next to the bed and hands the mug to Hermann. 

"Newton?" Hermann nudges the kaiju gently, waking him from a childhood memory (reading aloud to himself for the first time at age four, his tiny forehead pressed up against the pages of the Science Fiction Omnibus). The kaiju blinks up at him and lets out a bleary grumble-chirp.

"I know, Newton, but you said you were hungry."

_mmmhmm_

Newt raises his head to look at the bucket, sniffing at the air. _borsht?_

"Yep," Tendo grins. "Fresh from Mother and Father Russia."

The injured creature's tongue slithers out and dips into the bucket, followed by his snout as he guzzles down the thick red soup. Hermann sips at his own meal, absently rubbing the back of Newt's neck. Tendo doesn't have to wait long to take the now-empty bucket back. "Whaddya think, Doc? Should I bring him anything else?"

_oreos?_

"Newton you are _not_ having any _oreos_ , the chocolate alone will upset your stomach," Hermann scolds, setting his mug aside. "You may have some tea, or some more soup in a bit."

_Hermannnnn_

"No."

Realizing that his entreaties are falling on deaf ears, Newt turns his four pleading eyes on Tendo, making a whimpery sound high in his throat. The tech laughs and raises both hands, rosary clacking on his wrist.

"Hey, don't look at me pal, I'm not messin' with the doctor's orders. He says no oreos, you're not gettin' any."

Newt sighs heavily and lets his head drop back down onto the pillows, then winces as his wing twinges, the pain making him bury his nose up under Hermann's shirt. Hermann croons sympathetically and strokes his spine, instantly softening from stern physician to attentive caregiver. "Mister Choi, if you wouldn't mind asking the anesthesiologist for another dose of painkillers?"

"No problem." Tendo heads out, once more playing messenger for them.

Newt whines and squirms a little, one leg hanging off the mattress, and Hermann reaches as far down as he can to very carefully and gently rub his bandaged stomach, his long thin fingers avoiding the stitches. That gets him a weak, grateful purr, and Newt sends him a few images that amount to both an apology for being "a burden" and a promise to "make it up" to Hermann when he gets better.

"Don't be stupid," Hermann says fiercely. "Caring for you never has been, nor ever will be, a burden, and I hardly think it's healthy to view our relationship as some sort of... of tally-system. Do you have any idea how grateful I am just to have you alive right now? For god's sake, I thought-" His voice falters and his hands tremble as he runs them up and down Newt's belly, trying to ignore the sting in his eyes. He doesn't finish the thought aloud, but he knows Newton can feel his fear at the memory of seeing all that blood, seeing Newt's still body, his relief when he realized that Newt was alive. The kaiju nuzzles closer, snuffling against the skin of Hermann's flat stomach. 

_Newt-kaiju sorry_

"Yes, well," Hermann sniffs and takes off his glasses to swipe at his eyes. "You should be."

_sorry about scaring Hermann. not sorry about getting hurt. had to save Hermann. save kids._

"You insufferable man," Hermann rolls his eyes. "You're utterly infuriating, you know that?"

_Newt's a rock star_

"You're an idiot."


	5. But Hush Now Baby, Don't You Cry, Your Reward is in the Sweet By-and-By

 

"Hey fellas." Tendo's back, carrying an IV bag and failing to hide a grin. "You've got visitors."

He steps into the room and holds the door open for the three people behind him. The woman that follows Tendo is unfamiliar, but the boy in her arms is not, and the little girl that comes in behind her has one leg in a cast and a grin on her face. She immediately comes hobbling toward the bed, throwing her arms around Hermann's waist in a hug. He stiffens in surprise, awkwardly patting her back as Newt makes the mental equivalent of an 'awwwww'. 

"Yeah, they showed up a few minutes ago. Demanded to see 'the skinny man and the dragon'." Tendo chuckles and hooks up the new bag as the kids' mother steps forward and bows. 

"Thank you," she says earnestly, tears in her eyes. "You saved my children. Thank you."

Hermann can't really return the gesture in his position, but he nods respectfully. The little girl stands back, still smiling, and says in very careful, sow-spoken English, "Thank you, Mister Doctor."

"You are most welcome, my dear," Hermann says, almost automatically. He's really only used to speaking with his nieces and nephews as far as children go. "And please, call me Doctor Gottlieb."

She nods, beaming. "My name is Li. That is my brother Cong and my mother."

The toddler looks up sleepily at his name, blinks, and drops his head back to his mother's shoulder. 

Hermann smiles and leans back to introduce the kaiju who has been suspiciously silent this whole time. Newton's body is still hidden under the blankets, his head pulled back to avoid bumping Hermann or the girl. "And this is Doctor Geiszler. But I think he would prefer you to call him Newt." He can feel the gratitude that addendum gets him.

Li stares at the kaiju directly for the first time, and Hermann hears Newt's thoughts as an anxious swirl of worry- he's unfamiliar with children, and Hermann realizes that he's been keeping quiet and still to avoid frightening them. He even flinches a little when Li suddenly crawls up onto the bed, dragging her cast behind her, and wraps both arms as far as they'll go around his big, scaly head. "Thank you, Mister Newt."

Newt blurts out a startled chirrup, all four eyes going wide, and his cheeks glow blue, his version of a blush. Hermann hears Tendo snap a picture with his phone, and makes a note to ask for a copy later. He wants to frame this moment and put it somewhere Newt can see it, for all the times he starts demonizing himself or using what they call "the M word". The entire 'dome is well aware that Hermann will put up with people calling Newton a monster about as well as he might put up with being set on fire.

The children's mother comes forward to collect her daughter, who plants a big kiss on each doctor's cheek, skin and scale alike, before sliding off the bed and following her mother out. Tendo waves a goodbye and heads out to show the family back out of the 'dome. Hermann feels a nudge and turns to see Newt butting his head gently against Hermann's arm, like a cat demanding attention. He laughs and scratches lightly at the kaiju's brow. 

_we're heroes_

"Wh- haven't we been classified as 'heroes' for some time now?" Hermann asks with a raised brow.

_rock stars_

"If you insist. But Newton, you've done plenty of brave things before today, saved hundreds of lives. You're just as much a hero as Mako or Chuck or Marshal Pentecost." He takes Newt's chin in his hands, looks him square in the eye. "Understand me?"

_today was different_

"Why? Because you managed to nearly kill yourself?" Hermann narrows his eyes. "Newton Geiszler, if you think that getting mauled and nearly giving me a heart attack makes you in any way more heroic, we need to have a serious discussion about-"

_no. because... different._

"Different how?" Hermann waits patiently as he receives the images of the kids, the warmth of Li's hug, the gratitude in their mother's eyes, and it hits him. This was the first time Newt's gotten this kind of reaction, this sort of personal thanks. He tends to be reclusive after an operation- they both do- since he doesn't do well in crowds and generally gets more negative reactions than positive ones in public. He misses out on almost all of the joyous, appreciative responses they get. "Oh, Newton."

_no sad, Hermann. happy! sleep more?_

"Yes, darling, whatever you like." Hermann nestles himself deeper into the bedding and brings Newt's head back down into his lap, stroking his cheek.

 

~

 

It's only gonna get fluffier from here.


	6. As I Rode My Leviathan Home

A few days later...

 

"Newton, dear, wake up."

_don't wanna_

"I know, I'm sorry." He really is; it's rare for Newt to get a decent night's sleep, but it's late enough in the day that he'd rather Newt eat than sleep. "But it's time for lunch."

The kaiju rumbles in conflicted hunger and annoyance, eyes slitting open and left wing giving a weak flap. 

"I've brought you a treat," Hermann says in a sing-song voice, opening the curtains.

That perks him up. Newt's head raises from the bed, tail curling. 

_treat? oreos?_

"No, we've been over that-"

_twinkies?_

"No."

_sex?_

"Wh- no! You're much too weak still, Newton, you know that!"

_aww_

Hermann sighs. "Sit up, eat your meal, and then you can have your treat."

Newt slowly pulls himself up, stretches and yawns, his strange mandible splitting briefly.

_okay_

Hermann brings over Newton's food, one bucket at a time: one bucket of water, one of raw fish, and one of leftover borsht. He takes a seat next to the kaiju and sets his own lunch tray on his lap. Newt sniffs at each bucket before sticking his snout into the fish first, then the borsht and at last the water. He settles back onto the mattress, licking his lips, and rolls onto his side to keep pressure off his wounds. Hermann automatically reaches out his free hand to rub the now-exposed belly beside him while he finishes his sandwich. "Alright," he says at length, placing the tray on the nightstand. "Can you get up and walk a little ways for me?"

Newt makes a clicking sound and slides off the bed, puddling onto the floor. He unfolds himself shakily, keeping most of his weight on his back legs and left wing, and chirps victoriously when he manages to take a few steps.

"Good boy," Hermann praises, grabbing his cane. He picks up a duffel bag from next to the table and gestures to the door. "Come along."

They make their way down the hall slowly, Hermann walking stiffly with his cane and Newton limp-shuffling next to him on three limbs, his tail adding balance. They only pass a few people, mostly technicians who quickly skirt around them. Chuck and Max trot past, the human shooting them a quick sneer and the dog wagging his stubby tail. Newt squeaks happily at Max while Hermann arches a brow at the younger Hansen.

Soon they reach their destination: an empty room near the gym, dark and warm and smelling of water. Hermann switches on the light and Newt's surprised reaction pops into his mind like a bubble.

_!!!!! Hermann! awesome!!!_

The room contains a single pool, about ten by fifteen feet wide and five feet deep, set into the center of the floor. The water steams gently, swirled by jets under its glassy surface. Hermann rummages around in the duffel and pulls out a bag of mixed leaves and a roll of plastic wrap. He dumps the herbs into the pool, releasing a tea-like scent, and steps forward to wrap Newt's stitches. "I thought you would appreciate a nice hot bath, especially after such a stressful week."

_yes yes yes Hermann thank you thank you how?_

"I simply informed the Marshal that it would be good to help you relax before you started running around bleeding everywhere and destroying things." Hermann pats the safely-wrapped belly in front of him and nods. "Go on now, carefully."

He starts undressing quickly, setting his folded clothes into the bag and flinching when Newt goes plunging into the heated water, spraying droplets all over. Still sputtering, Hermann steps out of his underwear and turns to the tub.

Newt is floating belly-down, his head submerged with only his eyes and nose above the surface like a crocodile. He burbles delightedly when Hermann steps into the water.

Hermann groans in relief as he sinks down until the water reaches his chin, the herbs soothing his leg. Newt coos and floats closer, tail working like a paddle. His tendrils hang suspended like a jellyfish's, translucent. 

_good treat. nice good pretty Hermann, much thank_

His thoughts are warm and adoring, pain pushed to the back of his mind for now. Hermann chuckles and turns over his shoulder to reach for the bag. "Well, that's not the entirety of the treat..." He pokes around in the duffel, pulls out something that crinkles as he opens it-

_POPTARTS!!!_

"You've been very good about getting your rest and letting yourself heal, so I thought you deserved something special," he pronounces, in between the overjoyed, enthusiastic kaiju kisses raining down on his face, arms and chest. 

_oh Hermann Hermann Hermann love love Hermann poptarts yum_

"Turn over, love," Hermann prompts, holding the sugary squares aloft, and Newt immediately flips onto his back, letting Hermann guide where he drifts so that his head is in the human's lap once more. Hermann kisses his exposed throat, the underside of his chin, and drops a poptart onto his waiting tongue. 

Newt gulps down the pastry in one go, purring and trilling contentedly as he opens his mouth for another. Hermann feeds him two more and sets the fourth aside, saving it for later. He takes a bar of mild-scented soap (Newt's already perfume-sensitive nose is even more so in this form) from the bag and rubs it up and down the kaiju's throat and chest, building up a lather. He works the suds around, scrubbing gently but firmly with both hands and making a note to get a washcloth in the future. Newton fills their link with _warmth_ and _safe_ and _Hermann_ and _love_.

"Tip your head up a bit and close your eyes, darling, I'm going to wash your face," Hermann says softly. Newt complies, tendrils coiling and uncoiling as the human pours water over his brow. "Good boy. Let me rinse off and we'll go back to the room." He starts to sit up, but is halted by Newt's tail wrapping around his arm.

_Hermann wait_

"What is it?" He leans forward, brow lined with concern. "Did you tear your stitches? Is your wing hurting?"

 _no_. Newt turns over and nuzzles close, nose bumping against Hermann's stomach. _thank Hermann. love Hermann_.

"I..." Hermann blinks down at him, hands hovering over the crests atop Newt's head, as a rush of heat fills the link. "Oh. Oh, Newton, I- you don't need to-"

_want to. Hermann take care of Newt-kaiju. Newt-kaiju take care of Hermann._

The slithery length of Newt's tongue brushes over Hermann's hips. 

_pretty, pretty Hermann_

Hermann blushes, his skin already flushed from the steam, and stammers, "I'm- I am hardly p- _pretty_ , Newton, I am-"

_pretty Hermann! smart good sexy pretty Hermann!_

"If you insist," Hermann says, shaking his head fondly, then gasping when the tongue laps against his nipples. " _Oh_ my-" He shivers when a long tendril loops around his left ankle, tugging his legs apart and rubbing the arch of his foot. Another one replaces the tongue, tweaking and stroking his nipples while Newt licks down his stomach. "Oh _god_ -" He bites his lip, eyes rolling back and lashes fluttering against his cheek as the hot, wet coil of Newt's tongue finds his cock, half-hard and twitching at the contact. Newt's nose presses into the crook of his arm, snuffling eagerly, that impossible length of tongue squeezing around him.

_Hermann love Hermann smell-taste so good love love_

Hermann sucks in a shaky breath, hands fumbling along Newt's head and wrapping his arms around the biologist's neck. "My Newton, my sweet Newt. Mine."

The throb of possessive, protective love he broadcasts gets a high, frantic squeal in return, followed by a cascade of images and sensations: Hermann pressed against the mattress while Newt rides him, Hermann crouched above kaiju Newt, face twisted in pleasure as he thrusts, Hermann with with his mouth buried between Newt's legs, nose bumping his dripping cock as he eats him out with savage vigor, the sound of Newton's blissful wails echoing. Hermann writhes under the tidal wave of ecstasy, barely aware of the tendril that presses inside him until it rolls against his prostate and sends him hurtling over the edge with a hoarse cry. 

When he comes back down from the haze of his orgasm, mouth open as he pants, he's sprawled bonelessly in the water and feeling Newt's breath against his throat as the tendrils withdraw.

_pretty, pretty Hermann_

"Oh, Newton." Hermann pulls Newt's face closer, kissing him with trembling lips. "Oh, you darling boy. _Mein klein kaiju_."

Newt is purring so hard that the water around him ripples, his eyes half-lidded.

_my Hermann, love Hermann so good_

Hermann rubs their noses together affectionately, kisses him again and sits up a bit. "I suppose you need seeing to now, hmm?"

_no_

"No?" Hermann frowns, worried- normally Newton is not shy about asking for satisfaction, and if he's refusing Hermann's attentions something must be wrong. "Why not? Are you hurting?"

... _no_

"Well, then-" Hermann strokes a hand searchingly down Newt's dront, halting when he feels the sticky mess still clinging to the kaiju's belly. "Oh." He looks down at his fingers, the evidence of Newt's climax dripping from the tips in a slick spill. "Oh, you precious thing," he smiles and kisses Newton's cheek. "Let's dry off and go back to bed, and you can have another poptart."

 

_yay Hermann! yay poptart!_

 

~

 

Whoa... I think we're almost at the last chapter of this thing!


	7. When the Dawn Comes to Greet You

It takes almost a week of healing before Newton is able to return safely to his human form, at which point he is so stir-crazy that Hermann is nearly forced to tie him to the bed to get him to rest. ("Ooh, ropes? Herms, you kinky fucker." "Newton I swear to god if you do not lie still I will never have sex with you again, ropes or no ropes.") He spends his recuperation working on analyzing the strange acidic spit he's apparently capable of producing, writing up a paper on the properties and possible uses for it, and attempting to bribe Hermann with sex for various sugary snacks (which works more often than it should). 

A few weeks after that, they get a letter. It's not very long, just a few lines of very carefully-written characters, but along with the letter is a crayon drawing that Hermann puts up on the wall of their bedroom, along with the photo of Li hugging Newt, a newspaper clipping from their first collaboration, and the first group photo that the entire team took together (right after they all took down that squad of self-aware tanks). Neither of them say anything about the pictures, but Hermann catches Newt standing in front of it one morning, holding a bowl of cereal in one hand. He's silent aside from the crunching, but when he turns around he's smiling to himself around his mouthful of Rice Krispies, and Hermann feels a warm glow swell within his chest. 

 ~

I tried really hard to upload the picture I drew for this chapter but for whatever reason AO3 just wasn't having it, so [here's the link to it if you are so inclined.](http://snewts.tumblr.com/post/66495087812)

 

 

 


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